Pryor Judgeship

Bill Pryor

If Republicans have a strategy on how to get the Senate to make U.S. Circuit Judge Bill Pryor's recess appointment a permanent one, they're keeping it to themselves.

But it all comes down to timing.

Bring up the former Alabama attorney general's re-nomination now, and perhaps supporters could capitalize on a bipartisan spirit following President Bush's election. Democrats are loading their guns for what figures to be a fight over the next Supreme Court vacancy and they might be reluctant to waste that ammunition on an appeals court nominee.

Alabama GOP Senator Jeff Sessions said he wants to bring Pryor up when the best opportunity for him to be confirmed occurs.

Although Pryor had majority support in the GOP-controlled Senate, he lacked the 60 votes necessary to avoid a Democratic filibuster.

Some critics are speculating Republicans will force action on Pryor early this year as a way to test the waters before a Supreme Court fight.

Bush picked Pryor in February 2003 for the seat on the 11th Circuit, which covers Alabama, Georgia and Florida.

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